Ludlow
| Ludlow | |
|---|---|
 Wintertime Ludlow as seen from Whitcliffe |
|
 Coat of arms of Ludlow |
|
 Ludlow
|
|
| Ludlow shown within Shropshire | |
| Population | 10,266 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SO512746 |
| • London | 154 miles (248 km) |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LUDLOW |
| Postcode district | SY8 |
| Dialling code | 01584 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Shropshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England, 28 miles (45 km) south of Shrewsbury and 23 miles (37 km) north of Hereford via the main A49 road, which bypasses the town. With a population of approximately 11,000, Ludlow is the largest town in south Shropshire. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and neighbouring Wales.
The town is near the confluence of the rivers Corve and Teme. The oldest part is the medieval walled town, founded in the late 11th century after the Norman conquest of England. It is centred on a small hill which lies on the eastern bank of a bend of the River Teme. Atop this hill is Ludlow Castle and the parish church, St Laurence's, the largest in the county. From there the streets slope downward to the River Teme, and northward toward the River Corve. The town is in a sheltered spot beneath Mortimer Forest and the Clee Hills, which are clearly visible from the town.
Ludlow has nearly 500 listed buildings, including examples of medieval and Tudor-style half-timbered buildings. The town was described by Sir John Betjeman as "probably the loveliest town in England".
The placename "Lodelowe" was in use for this site before 1138 and comes from the Old English "hlud-hlaw". At the time this section of the River Teme contained rapids, and so the hlud of Ludlow came from "the loud waters", while hlaw meant "hill" or tumulus. Thus the name Ludlow describes a place on a hill by the loud waters. Some time around the 12th century weirs were added along the river, taming these rapid flows. The hill is that which the town stands on, and a pre-historic burial mound (or barrow) which existed at the summit of the hill (dug up during the expansion of St Laurence's church in 1199) could explain the tumulus variation of the hlaw element.Ludford, a neighbouring and older settlement, situated on the southern bank of the Teme, shares the hlud ("loud waters") element.
...
Wikipedia